Multi-Faceted and Imaginative

If the Swiss Army Ever Needed A Boat, This Would Be It.

By L.J. Wallace, Jr.

As a kid, my Swiss Army knife was ever present in my pocket. It was a compact tool but opened up to do so many things. As an adult now, for the same reasons, I’m equally fond of the Leatherman multi-tool I almost always have on my belt. So it’s no wonder that it took only a few minutes aboard this particular “pocket yacht” for me to develop an immediate fondness for it. It’s not every day that you come across an inboard powered 31-footer that not only comfortably sleeps six, but also has three control stations, one of which is on a flybridge with retractable top, a cockpit area that can be transformed into an expanded entertaining area, every amenity and creature comfort you’d find aboard a much larger vessel, AND is trailerable! Allow me to introduce you to the new Ranger Tugs R-31. To say this boat packs a LOT into a relatively small package would be a gross understatement.

Ranger Tugs was founded in 1958 so they’ve had several decades to finely hone their boats, taking customer feedback into account. Their current product line ranges from 21 to 31 feet. The designer, Dave Livingston—the father of company President, John Livingston—is arguably one of the most accomplished boat designers in the business. He has created countless models for a host of manufacturers and can boast that more people have owned a boat he designed than anyone else in the world. The result is an incredibly versatile vessel that is as suitable for an afternoon cruise as it is for an extended voyage.

Specifications
LOA: 31′ 2″
Length w/swim step: 35′ 2″
Beam 10′ 0″
Draft: 28″
Dry Weight: 10,500 lbs.
Fuel/Water: 180/80 U.S. gals.
Holding Tank Capacity 40 gals.
Power: 300 hp Volvo Penta D4 Diesel
Cruising/Top Speed: 20/25 knots
Height on Trailer: 13′ 2″
Rangertugs.com

The semi-displacement hull is pushed along by a 300-hp Volvo Penta D4 diesel. You can set the throttle at 7 knots and be burning a scant 1.5 gallons per hour, which translates into just shy of 5 nautical miles per gallon. With the standard 180-gallon main fuel tank, that means you can cover close to 900 nm. Kick it up to about 15 knots and you’ll get around 2 nmpg and still transit around 350 miles between fuel stops. But don’t think this is some slow, lumbering cruiser. When I pulled her back to a dead stop and then fire-walled it, it was apparent that this boat could pull up a water skier. In fact, the R-31 will top out at just around 25 knots.

With regard to all that versatility, it starts out in the cockpit. It’s comfortable as is but when dockside or at anchor, the entirety of the gunwales fold outward a la gull wings, which in essence doubles the seating and legroom. The cockpit also sports a transom door and hot and cold shower wand, as well as the optional third helm station forward to starboard. It has a cockpit fridge with optional icemaker and oodles of storage with enough room beneath the aft bench seat to house a generator. The engine compartment hatch is just abaft the door leading inside and lifts hydraulically, revealing a commodious space with all-around access and ample wrench-pulling room. In this location, it’s totally removed from the cabin so both the main and generator cause as little noise as possible.

Before heading inside, I went up to the flybridge that was compact and ergonomic via portside recessed steps, a nice change from the standard ladder for this size boat. The R-31 is the first Ranger Tug equipped with electronic controls (at both the upper and lower helms). When underway at cruising speed, I stood just behind the helm bench seat and had a bit of a hard time hearing what John Livingston was saying to me. He told me to take the seat next to him and when I did, all wind noise miraculously disappeared thanks to a very simple thing: a small, forward-angled lip of a windshield brow on the forward edge of the console. Yes, someone with decades of practical experience must have designed it. Visibility in all directions was excellent and looking forward and down to the bow, you take note of the stowable bench seat and table, which makes for a great lounging and observation area.

Upon entering the cabin, there’s a mid-ship berth tucked down to the port side, complete with a covered day head. Above that compartment is the dinette area with facing bench seats and the high/low table which starts doing that Swiss Army Knife thing by folding completely out as a table, folding up as a cocktail table, or lowering to create either a lounge or another berth.

To starboard is the L-shaped galley area, which takes up the entire space from the rear bulkhead to the back of the lower helm chair, and has a two burner stove, oven, double sinks and Corian counter tops. A microwave is tucked under the rear dinette bench, and similarly a wine cooler is under the forward bench. The fridge is located beneath the helm seat, which is also pretty Swiss. It rotates for additional saloon seating, slides back and forth, or folds up forward entirely revealing a few more square feet of galley counter space.

The helm console is straight forward and there’s a sliding door to starboard so you can go from the helm to the bow in an instant if need be. Back over to the port side, the forward dinette bench seat does a backflip and becomes forward facing and in the process reveals a flip up table so PRESTO… an instant nav station! Overhead on the centerline is a flip-down rotatable flat screen which can interface with and then display the navigation electronics. Stepping down into the forward cabin is an island berth with memory foam mattress. The head is to port with shower, electric flush toilet and vanity.

Ranger prefers to deliver their boats as turnkey as possible so there’s plenty of other equipment and features including the entertainment center, bow AND stern thrusters, windlass, trim tabs and a 2,500 watt inverter. And before you think “trailerable” requires a stretched out four-door dually with a fifth wheel, think again. John told me his regular pick-up (3⁄4 ton) handles the job quite nicely.

So load up this Ranger Tug with some fine chocolates, check your precision timepiece and maybe hang a cuckoo clock somewhere down below, then take to the open water in comfort and style.